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A review by sarahesmaewolfe
A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi
5.0
Tahereh Mafi does it again! A compelling and beautifully written story about an angry Muslim American teen the year after 9/11, much reflecting Tahereh's own experience as a teenager. This book does everything I was hoping The Hate U Give would do with the topic of racism. AVLEOS shows an accurate representation of what it is like to be a minority, but unlike THUG, shows the main character, Shirin, learning to cope in a healthy way.
"I was tired of focusing on my own anger. I was tired of focusing only on my memories of terrible people and the terrible things they'd said and done to me. I was tired of it. The darkness took up too much valuable real estate in my head."
I was aware that Muslim Americans were treated horribly, but I never knew to what extent. This book really opened my eyes to the reality of the struggle of being the wrong race, the wrong religion, wearing the wrong thing. I have never experienced anything like Shirin has, but I felt for her. I related to her. At first I thought she was an unlikable character, but as time went on and her character arc developed, I began to understand her.
I LOVED the romance in the book! Ocean is the actual sweetest love interest EVER! I was rooting for them so hard! I liked the depiction of the struggles in an interracial relationship. Also, is Ocean real and where can I find one please?
"I was tired of focusing on my own anger. I was tired of focusing only on my memories of terrible people and the terrible things they'd said and done to me. I was tired of it. The darkness took up too much valuable real estate in my head."
I was aware that Muslim Americans were treated horribly, but I never knew to what extent. This book really opened my eyes to the reality of the struggle of being the wrong race, the wrong religion, wearing the wrong thing. I have never experienced anything like Shirin has, but I felt for her. I related to her. At first I thought she was an unlikable character, but as time went on and her character arc developed, I began to understand her.
I LOVED the romance in the book! Ocean is the actual sweetest love interest EVER! I was rooting for them so hard! I liked the depiction of the struggles in an interracial relationship. Also, is Ocean real and where can I find one please?